Chandler 'internet predator' gets 20 years for exploiting minors - 12news.com KPNX

1 year ago 39

Devon Sharma, who has a past of enactment offenses successful Maricopa County, was precocious sentenced to a lengthy situation word for exploiting juveniles.

CHANDLER, Ariz. — A Chandler antheral with a past of exploiting young women has been sentenced to walk the adjacent 20 years successful situation aft helium tricked victims into sending him inappropriate photos of themselves.

Devon Sharma, 28, was sentenced earlier this period aft pleading blameworthy successful Maricopa County Superior Court to enactment trafficking, pandering, and intersexual exploitation of a minor.

Sharma would contiguous himself arsenic a pistillate from a modeling bureau online successful bid to summation the spot of young women and teenagers, according to Chandler police.

After the victims sent Sharma photos, the suspect would past extort them for wealth oregon enactment successful speech for Sharma not publishing their photos online.

Prosecutors person described the suspect arsenic an "internet predator" and a "prolific offender."

“Young women and teenagers tin beryllium easy exploited by net predators. It takes courageousness for victims of these crimes to travel guardant and the bravery demonstrated by the victims successful this lawsuit has prevented aboriginal acts of exploitation by this individual,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell successful a statement.

Court records amusement Sharma has been the taxable of aggregate investigations since helium was a precocious schoolhouse pupil successful Gilbert.

Prosecutors archetypal filed felony charges against him successful 2012 aft classmates accused Sharma of massaging and groping them successful the locker room, according to the Gilbert Sun News.

Sharma pleaded blameworthy to lesser offenses and was placed connected probation for 3 years. About a twelvemonth aft his probation ended, Sharma would again beryllium charged successful tribunal for committing felonies successful Maricopa County.

Court records amusement prosecutors charged him successful 2018 with machine tampering, enactment trafficking, and extortion.

After Sharma pleaded blameworthy and was awaiting sentencing for the 2018 case, Chandler constabulary filed much charges for exploiting radical online.

Sharma is not getting the maximum imaginable situation condemnation allowed nether the astir caller plea statement he's signed with prosecutors.

After completing his 20-year situation sentence, Sharma volition beryllium placed connected beingness probation and indispensable registry arsenic a enactment offender.